Portland Botanical Garden

Julia Calabrese’s Portland Botanical Gardens sprung from a conversation between Calabrese and PMOMA about the civic institutions that could be imagined for our city in addition to a Museum of Modern Art. Calabrese transformed the PMOMA gallery space into a lush botanical garden, filled floor to ceiling with an enchanting panoply of painted foliage. This collection includes not only pieces by the artist, who has explored her interest in botanical paintings and sculptures over the past few years, but by PMOMA’s friends, neighbors and community members. To create this fantasy garden installation, Calabrese led painting workshops with collaborators and peers, including community children and the artists of Project Grow, a local organization dedicated to the enrichment of developmentally disabled community members through art.